Hours after mid-day's report on August 30, the Central Railway reversed its decision and called off the mega block that was scheduled for Sunday, August 31
Along with the announcement of the cancellation of mega block, the Central Railway also stated that it will be running special night suburban trains for the ongoing Ganesh festival. Representational Pic/File
In a relief for Mumbai commuters and Ganesh devotees, the Central Railway has cancelled the planned mega block on both the main Line and Harbour line this Sunday, August 31.
An official notification issued on Saturday stated, “All trains will run as per scheduled.”
The announcement comes shortly after mid-day highlighted Central Railway's earlier decision to carry out maintenance work on a day when heavy crowds are expected at key Ganesh mandals, including Lalbaugcha Raja and Chinchpoklicha Chintamani.
Initially, the railway had announced a mega block from 10.55 am to 3.55 pm on the Up and Down slow lines between CSMT and Vidyavihar, and another block on the Harbour Line between Kurla and Vashi from 11.10 am to 4.10 pm, for engineering and maintenance works.
The Cental Railway's plan drew criticism for its timing, especially during the Ganesh festival 2025. Many pointed out that key stations like Currey Road and Chinchpokli -- main access points for popular Ganesh pandals -- would have seen reduced connectivity due to train diversions and halted services.
The backlash was similar to an earlier incident this month, when the Central Railway held a mega block on Raksha Bandhan on August 9, causing inconvenience to the commuters.
Ironically, while planning the block, Central Railway had also been making announcements at stations with directions on how to reach Lalbaugcha Raja, further adding to public frustration.
A railway spokesperson had earlier defended the decision and said, “These maintenance mega blocks are essential for infrastructure upkeep and safety. Passengers are requested to bear with the railway administration for the inconvenience caused.”
Read more: Train halts at Currey Road, Chinchpokli cancelled amid Ganeshotsav
Along with the announcement of the cancellation of mega block, the Central Railway also stated that it will be running special night suburban trains for the ongoing Ganesh festival.
In an official statement, the Central Railway also announced that it will operate special night suburban trains during the upcoming Ganpati festival to help devotees travel easily during the celebrations and immersions.
In an official statement, Central Railway said the special trains will run on the nights of September 4 and 5 (Thursday/Friday), September 5 and 6 (Friday/Saturday), and September 6 and 7 (Saturday/Sunday) on the main line between CSMT and Kalyan/Thane.
On the Harbour Line, special trains will run only on the night of 6th/7th September (Saturday/Sunday) between CSMT and Panvel, to assist passengers during Ganpati immersion.
All special trains will halt at every station along their respective routes.
- Down Main Line (From CSMT to Kalyan/Thane)
CSMT to Kalyan: Departs 01:40 hrs, arrives 03:10 hrs
CSMT to Thane: Departs 02:30 hrs, arrives 03:30 hrs
CSMT to Kalyan: Departs 03:25 hrs, arrives 04:55 hrs
- Up Main Line (From Kalyan/Thane to CSMT)
Kalyan to CSMT: Departs 00:05 hrs, arrives 01:30 hrs
Thane to CSMT: Departs 01:00 hrs, arrives 02:00 hrs
Thane to CSMT: Departs 02:00 hrs, arrives 03:00 hrs
- Down Harbour Line (From CSMT to Panvel – Only on 6th/7th September)
CSMT to Panvel: Departs 01:30 hrs, arrives 02:50 hrs
CSMT to Panvel: Departs 02:45 hrs, arrives 04:05 hrs
- Up Harbour Line (From Panvel to CSMT – Only on 6th/7th September)
Panvel to CSMT: Departs 01:00 hrs, arrives 02:20 hrs
Panvel to CSMT: Departs 01:45 hrs, arrives 03:05 hrs
"The Central Railway requests passengers to take note of the schedule and make use of these Ganpati festival special suburban trains to ensure a smooth and safe journey during the festive nights," said the statement.
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